Kerch Strait Ferry Service Linking Crimea With Mainland Russia Suspended

The ferry service across the Kerch Strait, which separates Crimea from Russia’s Krasnodar Territory has been suspended amid bad weather conditions, the Crimea branch of the Russian Emergencies Ministry informed in a statement on Thursday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) – The statement reads that "the work of the Kerch ferry service has been temporarily suspended due to unfavorable weather conditions (wind)."

The Kerch Strait connects the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov. A bridge crossing the Kerch Strait to connect the Crimean peninsula with mainland Russia, proposed by the Russia government, is expected to be constructed by 2018-2020.

Crimea, Russia's historical southern region, seceded from Ukraine to rejoin Russia in March 2014, when an overwhelming majority of the peninsula residents voted in favor of the move in a referendum.

In August 2014, the Russian government approved a federal program aiming to boost the dynamic development of the region, its transport and social infrastructure, and improve the quality of people’s lives.